Vietnamplus

Three hotlines for reporting issues related to food safety were launched in Hanoi on May 17.

Amid growing concerns in Vietnam about unsafe food, many foreign and local firms are exploring opportunities to produce safe food in the country.

The roundtable entitled “Belgian Food Safety Agency’s Experience” took place in Hanoi on May 13 to share Belgian experience on food safety policies.

Organic farming in Vietnam lacks certification and support policies from the State, a representative from the Cultivation Department said at a seminar held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 12.

The Vietnam Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has asked tourism management agencies in central localities to monitor the use of sea fish with at restaurants to ensure food hygiene for tourists.

An ASEAN draft on a food safety legal framework was discussed at a conference held by the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU in Indonesia from May 9-10.

The entire political system is working to combat unhygienic food and food of unknown origins, with the active involvement of local authorities.

Vietnam has formed 280 safe food supply chains in 35 provinces and cities with main products including vegetables, fruits, tea, meat, eggs and aquatic products.

The Ministry of Health encouraged consumers to detect and denounce food safety violations to tackle unhygienic products.

The awareness of farmers should receive appropriate attention from authorised agencies as they are important to thoroughly tackling unsafe food, which is now a conundrum in society.

A list of 69 stores that sell food meeting safety control requirements was released to the public by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at a press conference in Hanoi on May 5.

Consumers drawn to shops advertising “clean” vegetables and fruit are beginning to question if the stores’ claims are valid.

Approximately 690 breaches of food safety and quality regulations were discovered between late December, 2015 and mid-April this year with the total fine collected worth more than 5.3 billion VND.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has underlined the need to identify the responsibilities of agencies concerned with food safety management, especially the role played by their chiefs.

Hanoi’s Department of Industry and Trade plans to enhance food safety management and inspections in 2016, focusing on inspections in wet markets and food trading in the city.

The Hanoi authorities will tighten food safety management and inspection during the Food Safety Action Month taking place in all provinces and cities nationwide from April 15.

Local tourism departments and travel companies across Vietnam have been requested to augment efforts to ensure absolute safety for tourists as national holidays come in the next few weeks.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has publicly apologised for his remark that the majority of food sold in the market is safe but people do not know this.

The VTV24 News Centre of the Vietnam Television launched the programme “Say no to dirty food” on April 1, a move to join efforts being made to eradicate unsafe food – a pressing issue in the country.

The National Assembly (NA) and Government should take more radical measures to improve the investment climate, fight corruption and ensure food safety in the years ahead, lawmakers said.